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Citing storms, AirAsia pilot asked to change altitude just before plane disappeared Citing storms, AirAsia pilot asked to change altitude just before plane disappeared
(about 2 hours later)
BEIJING — A string of thunderstorms and clouds over the Java Sea on Sunday led one of the pilots of the now-missing AirAsia commercial jet carrying 162 people to ask to fly at a higher altitude. But his request could not be approved because of air traffic and a flight above his, an Indonesian Transport Ministry official told Kompas, the premier newspaper in Indonesia. BEIJING — Indonesian air-traffic controllers apparently denied a request by the pilot of a now-missing AirAsia commercial jet to climb to a higher altitude, just minutes before the plane disappeared from their screens Sunday without a distress call.
No distress calls were made, and aviation experts said the plane had a 90 percent chance of remaining safe. But the Transport Ministry official, Djoko Murjatmodjo, said that after the request was denied, “five minutes later [Flight QZ8501] disappeared from radar.” The plane, an Airbus A320-200 with 162 people aboard, had encountered a string of intense thunderstorms and heavy clouds over the Java Sea. Hoping to avoid the worst of the weather, the pilot radioed in a request to climb from 36,300 feet to 38,000 feet.
A huge search-and-rescue operation, with seven ships and two helicopters, will get underway as soon as day breaks Monday, according to Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency. Controllers at first gave him the okay but then reversed themselves because of other air traffic in the vicinity, including a flight above his, an Indonesian Transport Ministry official, Djoko Murjatmodjo, told Kompas, the premier newspaper in Indonesia.
The plane’s disappearance is the third air crisis this year for Southeast Asia — and an eerily familiar one, just nine months after a Malaysia Airlines jetliner disappeared over the Indian Ocean. That plane, with 239 people on board, is still lost. Another Malaysia Airlines jet was shot down over eastern Ukraine in July, and all 298 people aboard died.The plane’s disappearance is the third air crisis this year for Southeast Asia — and an eerily familiar one, just nine months after a Malaysia Airlines jetliner disappeared over the Indian Ocean. That plane, with 239 people on board, is still lost. Another Malaysia Airlines jet was shot down over eastern Ukraine in July, and all 298 people aboard died.
On Sunday, Malaysia Airlines posted a message on its Twitter account: “#staystrong @AirAsia — Our thoughts and prayers are with all family and friends of those onboard QZ8501.”On Sunday, Malaysia Airlines posted a message on its Twitter account: “#staystrong @AirAsia — Our thoughts and prayers are with all family and friends of those onboard QZ8501.”
At first light Monday, the plan was to divide the search area into four broad sections measuring 120 by 240 nautical miles, the rescue agency said. The search may also extend to nearby land. An Indonesian admiral, Sigit Setiayana, said Monday morning that more than a dozen naval vessels, five airplanes and three helicopters had resumed the search for the plane in an area east and southeast of Belitung island, with good visibility, the Associated Press reported.
“It is a very broad search location,” the agency said. The effort was hampered Sunday night because of rough weather. “God willing, we can find it soon,” he said.
Malaysia will send three vessels, and Singapore will add at least one search plane, according to rescue officials. Australia and India also offered assistance. Darkness and bad weather had forced Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency to call off search efforts Sunday evening.
While no one is sure if weather was the cause of the disappearance, it probably complicated things, according to AccuWeather.com senior meteorologist Alex Sosnowski, who said, “The storms in the area were capable of producing severe turbulence, strong wind shear, frequent lightning and icing.” December and January are the wettest months of the year in Indonesia, according to AccuWeather.
The AirAsia flight took off from the Indonesian city of Surabaya and was scheduled to land in Singapore at 8:30 a.m. Sunday.The AirAsia flight took off from the Indonesian city of Surabaya and was scheduled to land in Singapore at 8:30 a.m. Sunday.
Instead of welcoming their loved ones Sunday morning, anguished and terrified relatives and friends gathered in crisis centers set up inside Juanda International Airport in Indonesia and Changi Airport in Singapore, desperately awaiting word of the lost plane.Instead of welcoming their loved ones Sunday morning, anguished and terrified relatives and friends gathered in crisis centers set up inside Juanda International Airport in Indonesia and Changi Airport in Singapore, desperately awaiting word of the lost plane.
Thousands of people across the world expressed support on Twitter and Facebook, or captured the shock with the message: “Not Again.” It immediately brought to mind similar gatherings in Malaysia’s capital, Kuala Lumpur, and in Beijing last spring, when the first Malaysia Airlines plane vanished.
Thousands of people across the world expressed support Sunday on Twitter and Facebook, or captured the shock with the message: “Not Again.”
Pope Francis prayed for the missing, according to Vatican Radio. Indonesian President Joko Widodo said his nation was “praying for the safety” of those on board.Pope Francis prayed for the missing, according to Vatican Radio. Indonesian President Joko Widodo said his nation was “praying for the safety” of those on board.
Sunday afternoon, the airline changed the color of its logo on its Web site and social-media accounts from a festive holiday design to a shrouded, all-black bar. Sunday afternoon, AirAsia changed the color of its logo on its Web site and social-media accounts from a festive holiday design to a shrouded, all-black bar.
AirAsia’s chief executive, Tony Fernandes, flew to Surabaya and later told a news briefing: “We are very devastated by what’s happened; it’s unbelievable.” The airline’s chief executive, Tony Fernandes, flew to Surabaya and later told a news briefing: “We are very devastated by what’s happened; it’s unbelievable.”
“Our concern right now is for the relatives and for the next of kin — there is nothing more important to us, for our crew’s family and for the passengers’ families,” he said. While no one is sure if weather was the cause of the disappearance, it probably complicated things, according to AccuWeather.com meteorologist Alex Sosnowski, who said, “The storms in the area were capable of producing severe turbulence, strong wind shear, frequent lightning and icing.” December and January are the wettest months of the year in Indonesia.
Aviation experts could only speculate as to why there was no distress call. One likely possibility is that a sudden and probably catstrophic depressurization incapacitated the pilots or the communications equipment.
Radar showed that just before it disappeared, the plane was flying at a relatively slow speed — just over 400 miles an hour — the BBC reported.
“Our concern right now is for the relatives and for the next of kin — there is nothing more important to us, for our crew’s family and for the passengers’ families,” Fernandes said.
Those family members were rattled and in a state of panic.Those family members were rattled and in a state of panic.
Nias Adityas, a housewife from Surabaya, wept when she found the name of her husband, Nanang Priowidodo, 43, on the list of passengers. He was a tour guide and had been hired to take a family of four on a trip. He was relieved and happy to get the work. Nias Adityas, a housewife from Surabaya, wept when she found the name of her husband, Nanang Priowidodo, 43, on the list of passengers. He was a tour guide and had been hired to take a family of four on a trip. He had been relieved and happy to get the work.
“He just told me, ‘Praise God, this new year brings a lot of good fortune,’ ” Adityas told reporters gathered at the airport. “He apologized because he could not join us for the new year celebration.”“He just told me, ‘Praise God, this new year brings a lot of good fortune,’ ” Adityas told reporters gathered at the airport. “He apologized because he could not join us for the new year celebration.”
Louise Sidharta, 25, of Indonesia told news outlets that she was awaiting news of her fiance, a 27-year-old entrepreneur named Alain, who she said was on board the flight along with five family members. Louise Sidharta, 25, of Indonesia told the media that she was awaiting news of her fiance, a 27-year-old entrepreneur named Alain, who she said was on board the flight along with five family members.
She had taken a later flight from Surabaya to Singapore and found out about the missing aircraft upon arriving, Agence France-Presse reported.She had taken a later flight from Surabaya to Singapore and found out about the missing aircraft upon arriving, Agence France-Presse reported.
“This was supposed to be his last trip with his family before we got married,” she said.“This was supposed to be his last trip with his family before we got married,” she said.
As night fell Sunday, Indonesian officials said they had spotted no sign of the plane in the area over the Java Sea but had to stop the search because of bad weather and darkness.
The flight lost contact at 6:17 a.m. local time (6:17 p.m. Saturday in Washington). The break in communications occurred 42 minutes after takeoff and roughly an hour before the scheduled landing at Changi Airport, Indonesian authorities said.The flight lost contact at 6:17 a.m. local time (6:17 p.m. Saturday in Washington). The break in communications occurred 42 minutes after takeoff and roughly an hour before the scheduled landing at Changi Airport, Indonesian authorities said.
AirAsia is a budget airline based in Malaysia, although the missing plane belonged to its Indonesian affiliate. AirAsia, bought and relaunched in 2001 by Fernandes, had never suffered a fatal accident. Over the past decade, it has become a strong regional competitor, with short flights and cheap tickets throughout Southeast Asia. By Sunday evening, there had been no sign of any wreckage.
In a written statement, AirAsia said the captain of Flight QZ8501 had “a total of 6,100 flying hours and the first officer a total of 2,275 flying hours” under their belts. On Monday, the rescue agency said, it will divide the search area into four broad sections measuring 120 by 240 nautical miles. The search may also extend to nearby land.
Malaysia will send three vessels, and Singapore will add at least one search plane, according to rescue officials. Australia and India also offered assistance.
AirAsia is a budget airline based in Malaysia, although the missing plane belongs to its Indonesian affiliate. AirAsia, bought and relaunched in 2001 by Fernandes, had never suffered a fatal accident. Over the past decade, it has become a strong regional competitor, with short flights and cheap tickets throughout Southeast Asia.
In a written statement, AirAsia said the captain of Flight QZ8501 was experienced, with “a total of 20,537 flying hours of which, 6,100 flying hours were with AirAsia Indonesia.” It said the first officer had a total of 2,275 flying hours with AirAsia Indonesia.
The airline added that the plane underwent “its last scheduled maintenance” on Nov. 16.The airline added that the plane underwent “its last scheduled maintenance” on Nov. 16.
In a statement early Sunday, the plane’s manufacturer, Airbus, said that it is assisting with the investigation and that the jet had accumulated about 23,000 flight hours during about 13,600 flights.In a statement early Sunday, the plane’s manufacturer, Airbus, said that it is assisting with the investigation and that the jet had accumulated about 23,000 flight hours during about 13,600 flights.
Although Indonesian officials placed the lost contact at 6:17 a.m., Singapore authorities and AirAsia in an initial statement placed it at 6:24 a.m. — a discrepancy that has not been explained. Although Indonesian officials placed the lost contact at 6:17 a.m., Singapore authorities and AirAsia in initial statements placed it at 6:24 a.m. — a discrepancy that has not been explained.
The plane was under the control of Indonesia air-traffic control when it lost contact.
The flight took off with 155 passengers, two pilots, one engineer and four flight attendants, according to AirAsia.The flight took off with 155 passengers, two pilots, one engineer and four flight attendants, according to AirAsia.
All but six passengers and crew members were Indonesian, the airline said; three were South Korean, and there were also individuals from Malaysia, France and Singapore on board. The passengers included 16 children and one infant. All but seven passengers and crew members were Indonesian, the airline said; three were South Korean, and there were individuals from Malaysia, Singapore and Britain on board. The co-pilot was French, according to France’s Foreign Ministry. The passengers included 16 children and one infant.
Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said he called Widodo to offer his country’s assistance.
Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak tweeted: “Very sad to hear that AirAsia Indonesia QZ8501 is missing. My thoughts are with the families. Malaysia stands ready to help.”Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak tweeted: “Very sad to hear that AirAsia Indonesia QZ8501 is missing. My thoughts are with the families. Malaysia stands ready to help.”
White House spokesman Eric Schultz said President Obama, who is on vacation in Hawaii, “has been briefed on AirAsia Flight 8501, and White House officials will continue to monitor the situation.”White House spokesman Eric Schultz said President Obama, who is on vacation in Hawaii, “has been briefed on AirAsia Flight 8501, and White House officials will continue to monitor the situation.”
Secretary of State John F. Kerry, in a tweet, said, “Our hearts and hopes are with the passengers and families of AirAsia QZ8501.”Secretary of State John F. Kerry, in a tweet, said, “Our hearts and hopes are with the passengers and families of AirAsia QZ8501.”
A spokesman for the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, Terry Williams, said, “We are aware of the missing airplane and are monitoring the situation.” Williams said that, if asked, the agency would provide assistance to investigators.A spokesman for the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, Terry Williams, said, “We are aware of the missing airplane and are monitoring the situation.” Williams said that, if asked, the agency would provide assistance to investigators.
Wax-Thibodeaux reported from Washington.Wax-Thibodeaux reported from Washington.